Frustrating week
October 27, 2007 on 10:22 am | In Sea Kayaking, Uncategorized |
We reach the end of another week and all we seemed to have was wind and rain. We had visitors this week and it would have been better if we had been able to visit the beaches and sights.
If I have a week like this, it is OK if I am working but when you are on a mission to escape it is very frustration, this is doubled by the fact if you are self employed the old addage of ‘no work - no earn’ hurts.
There was one bonus this week I have been given a job by Scottish National Heritage as a part time mink trapper for the winter. This for me is a great excuse to get out on the hill and to the outlying islands with the addition of removing this non indigenous species.
The problem with mink is they have been predating on the ground nesting birds and in the last nine years of paddling here I have seen the birds decline. I am not so naive as to think the mink are the only cause; over fishing, climate change etc also playing a role but I have seen more mink and less birds. It will be good to be involved with what I believe is a valuable project.
Anna is out a the moment doing an interview with Radio nan Gaidheal about sea kayaking for their Outdoor programme. This is great for the business but is also fantastic for the Canoe Club which is another passion of mine.
I read this week about this with interest (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7064194.stm). I would have liked to have been there.
I think there is broader issue, as well, there are too few role models for any young people to encourage them to get out and enjoy the Scottish Wildlands. What are they watching? Where are their influences? Do we need to be making extreme videos of the things we get up to in the wilds of our beautiful country? How do we get the You Tube generation out into Scotland?
Tim Pickering
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